REMEMBERING THE FALLEN:
Visiting members of the Australia New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac) group pay their respects at the Batu Lintang War Memorial in Kuching to those who lost their lives during the Second World War. Thirty-five Anzac Veterans and Heritage Exchange programme students are participating in commemorations of the 69th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
KUCHING: The Batu Lintang War Memorial Mini Museum received several historical books and educational materials for its library yesterday.
They were donated by Z Unit commando Jack Tredrea, Borneo Exhibition Group Inc, Daniel Chung and family and the Sarawak Tourism Federation (STF).
The presentation of the books to the museum was done in the presence of 35 Anzac veterans and Heritage Exchange Programme students, who were here to participate in the commemoration of the 69th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
The books were received by the representative of Batu Lintang Teachers Training Institute director.
According to STF Heritage Development Committee chairman Lim Kian Hock, the presence of the veterans, their families and the heritage exchange students paved the way for a deeper understanding and recognition of humanity.
"By the greater understanding and wider knowledge of the evils of wars, human conflict and extremism, it opens a wider window towards the struggle and works for the culture of peace, unity and freedom, for which our prisoners of war ( POW) and internees had sacrificed their lives in the Batu Lintang POW Camp from 1942 to 1945.
By the greater understanding and wider knowledge of the evils of wars, human conflict and extremism, it opens a wider window towards the struggle and works for the culture of peace, unity and freedom, for which our prisoners of war (POW) and internees had sacrificed their lives in the Batu Lintang POW Camp from 1942 to 1945. Lim Kian Hock, STF Heritage Development Committee chairman
" This gathering gives us the opportunity to look back in our history and together to share our vision and mission to preserve and promote the patriotic legacy left by our forefathers as well as the gallant men and women in the defence of peace and freedom," he said.
He added that the collaboration with the teachers' training institute, Borneo Exhibition Group Inc of Western Australia, the veterans, government agencies and peace-loving people also paved the way for a sustainable development of heritage and information resources.
"We hope our young generation will move forward for a peaceful world order," he said.
Meanwhile, STF vice president Jane Lian Labang, on behalf of STF president Audry Wan Ullok, thanked the teachers training institute for their part in preserving and guarding the heritage site.
" We would like to thank the institute for the preservation and guardianship of the former POW camp through a meaningful educational development of higher learning, the War Memorial Mini Museum as well as the reception and collation of historical heritage books and documents," she said.
The 35-member Anzac group, together with representatives from the institute, STF and others took part in wreath-laying at the memorial square, where a monument had been built to commemorate the sacrifices of the gallant men and women who had died for the cause of freedom during the Second World War.
After that, the group took part in a tree-planting ceremony, in efforts to add more greens to the surroundings of the mini museum and memorial square.
Among others present were Anzac group leader Joe McLaughlin, Batu Lintang Teachers Training Institute representative Awang Hepeni Awang Ongget, Sarawak Armed Forces Veteran Affairs Department director LieutenantColonel Monday Juhid, Australia Business Council director Rodger Chan and former child POW Jeli Abdullah.